Congestion Charge issued outside charging hours or days

The Congestion Charge only applies at certain times: Monday to Friday 07:00–18:00, and Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 12:00–18:00. It does not apply at all between Christmas Day and New Year's Day (25 December to 1 January, inclusive). If your journey took place entirely outside these hours, on a day when charging does not apply, or during that festive free period, the penalty notice should not have been issued.

Legal basis

Greater London (Central Zone) Congestion Charging Order 2004 (charging hours and days); Road User Charging (Enforcement and Adjudication) (London) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/2313)

How to identify this in your case

Look at the date and time printed on your Penalty Charge Notice. If the time falls outside 07:00–18:00 on a weekday, or outside 12:00–18:00 on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday, charging did not apply. Equally, if the date falls anywhere from 25 December to 1 January inclusive, charging did not apply on that day either.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

I make representations against this PCN. The Congestion Charge applies only within defined hours and days. The journey by vehicle [VRM] on [DATE] at [TIME] fell [outside charging hours / on a non-charging day / within the Christmas-New Year free period], so no charge was payable under the Greater London (Central Zone) Congestion Charging Order 2004. I request cancellation.

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket and drafts an appeal letter. You check it and tap send: we send it in your name where the council takes email, or through the council’s own website where we can; otherwise we guide you through their own online form so you press submit, or give you a letter to post. The win fee is only charged if you win.

Congestion Charge issued outside charging hours or days

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps